Question:
Can I drive a commercial truck with link trailer if only back trailer has a load and front piece (trailer) is empty?
Answer:
You may as long as the total load on the vehicle does not exceed 5 x the mass of the driving axle/s of the vehicle. Reg 239(3) requires that the drive axle must weigh 1/5 of the total load. If the load on the rear trailer is the only mass on the vehicle there is a very good chance that you are going to be overloaded due to a drive axle under load.
Gross vehicle mass, gross axle massload, gross axle unit massload, gross combination mass, power to mass ratio and axle massload of driving axle to total mass ratio not to be exceeded
Reg 239. (1) No person shall operate on a public road a mini‑bus, bus, tractor or goods vehicle—
(a) if—
(i) the gross vehicle mass;
(ii) any gross axle massload; or
(iii) any gross axle unit massload,
is exceeded;
(b) drawing any other motor vehicle if the gross combination mass is exceeded.
(2) No person shall operate on a public road a vehicle which is a minibus, midibus, bus, tractor, haulage tractor or goods vehicle if the mass in kilograms of such vehicle or of a combination of vehicles of which such first-mentioned vehicle forms a part, whether laden or unladen, exceeds a figure arrived at by multiplying the net power in kilowatts of the engine of such vehicle as determined in accordance with or calculated with due regard to SANS 10013 “The determination of performance (at net power) of internal combustion engines Part 1:Road vehicle internal combustion engines at sea level”, “The determination of performance (at net power) of internal combustion engines Part 2: Compression ignition engines at altitudes” and “The determination of performance (at net power) of internal combustion engines Part 3: Agricultural vehicle internal combustion engines at sea level”—
(a) in the case of the drawing vehicle being a tractor or a haulage tractor by 400; or
(b) in the case of any other vehicle by 240.
(3) No person shall operate on a public road a vehicle which is a minibus, midibus, bus, tractor or goods vehicle if the mass in kilograms of such vehicle or of a combination of vehicles of which such first‑mentioned vehicle forms a part, whether laden or unladen, exceeds five times the total axle massload of the driving axle or axles of such vehicle: Provided that where the drawing vehicle in a combination of vehicles is a haulage tractor, the mass in kilograms of such combination of vehicles may not exceed six times the total axle mass load of the driving axle or axles of such vehicle, whether the combination is laden or unladen.
Hope you understand the explanation.
Alta Swanepoel & Associates